University West is looking for a Postdoctoral Researcher in Production Engineering

The research at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering focuses on three main areas related to welding technology: metallurgy, process physics modeling, and process development and control.

Our main goal is to fundamentally study and improve our understanding of welding and welding-based additive manufacturing processes and their impact on various materials. In a new project in collaboration with a consortium of ten different industrial companies, we are seeking a postdoctoral researcher for a position at University West.

The Scientific Part of the Project

The postdoctoral project will focus on the development of spot-welded structures made of aluminum or copper materials, particularly focusing on the mechanical performance of joints and welding quality. This will require systematic experimental studies investigating build properties such as microstructures, precipitates, etc., in addition to functional properties such as static and dynamic loading of the built structures.

Read more about the project on our website.

Responsibilities:

The responsibilities of the postdoctoral researcher in this project include, among other things:

• Conduct advanced research on Friction Stir Welding (FSW) and Friction Spot Welding (FSSW), including process optimization, material behavior, and joint performance.
• Design, plan, and execute experimental welding trials, including parameter selection, tool setup, and specimen preparation.
• Perform microstructural characterization (optical microscopy, SEM/EDS, EBSD) and mechanical testing (tensile strength, shear, hardness, fatigue) of welded joints.
• Develop or refine numerical/thermo-mechanical models to understand material flow, heat generation, and defect formation in FSW and FSSW.
• Analyze data, interpret results, and prepare technical reports, journal publications, and conference presentations.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams, including materials scientists, manufacturing engineers, and industry partners.
• Contribute to proposal writing, project planning, student supervision, and dissemination of research results.
• Ensure compliance with laboratory safety procedures, maintain equipment, and support the development of new experimental setups.

Eligibility Requirements for the Postdoctoral Position:

Eligible for appointment as a postdoctoral researcher is someone who has obtained a doctoral degree or has equivalent scientific competence. This eligibility requirement must be fulfilled no later than at the time the employment decision is made. Primarily, candidates who have obtained their doctoral degree no more than three years before the employment decision is made should be considered. If there are special reasons, such a degree may have been obtained earlier. The starting point is that a postdoctoral appointment is intended for full-time work. For more information, see the agreement for postdoctoral researchers at the Swedish Agency for Government Employers.

For this position, the following is also required:

• Basic knowledge of aluminum alloys, copper and titanium metallurgy, and welding metallurgy.
• Basic knowledge of non-destructive testing applied to welding.
• Basic programming experience for industrial robots/CNC equipment and related programming software (e.g., ABB RAPID, RobotStudio, KUKASIM, G-code, 3DExperience).
• Basic programming experience in control systems and process analysis software (e.g., LabVIEW, Matlab, Python).

Desirable qualifications for the position include:

• Experience with friction welding experiments (tools and fixtures).
• Experience with friction spot welding experiments (tools and fixtures).
• Experience with advanced characterization techniques such as EBSD, XRD, TEM, etc.
• Experience with material testing such as tensile and fatigue testing.
• Experience with material modeling and thermodynamics.
• Good collaborative skills.
• Ability to teach in languages (Swedish/English).
• Documented research experience and scientific writing skills in the form of previous publications.
• Willingness to travel and conduct experiments outside University West as needed.

Other:

A postdoctoral appointment is a fixed-term merit-based position primarily focused on research intended as a first career step after obtaining a doctorate. In addition to what follows from the provisions of the Employment Protection Act (1982:80), a postdoctoral researcher may be employed indefinitely, but for a maximum period of at least two and at most three years. If there are special reasons, the appointment may be extended.

In the selection process, trial lectures, work samples, interviews, and reference checks may be relevant.

Applications are made digitally via our recruitment tool.

The application deadline is 2026-03-01

We kindly ask for no direct contact with staffing and recruitment companies or sellers of recruitment ads.

Welcome with your application!